Notre Dame had every reason to come out flat against Boston College on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles knew that was pretty much their only chance.
The Irish never offered Boston College that chance.
A week after beating #1 Miami in the biggest regular season win in years, the Irish sailed to a 41-7 win over the Eagles at Notre Dame Stadium on to move to 9-1 on the season and one step closer to the College Football Playoff.
Boston College dropped to 4-6 on the year.
Notre Dame scored on its first possession and used the second quarter to blow the game open, building a 31-0 halftime lead over an Eagles team that never mounted a serious threat.
CJ Carr continued to build his Heisman Trophy candidacy. Carr finished 20-28 for 217 yards and two touchdowns against one interception, and he was done for the day after one fourth-quarter drive.
Jonaz Walton ran for 141 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, including a 50-yard run in the fourth quarter while Nolan James Jr. added 73 yards and a touchdown as the Irish piled up 276 rushing yards and 500 total yards.
Micah Gilbert caught five passes for 86 yards and a touchdown and Jordan Faison added five catches for 41 yards and a touchdown.
The Irish defense suffocated Boston College quarterback Mason McKenzie, the center of the Eagles' offense. McKenzie finished 8-21 for 51 yards and an interception, was sacked three times and managed just 10 yards on 14 carries. Boston College totaled 136 yards and nine first downs.
The game was already in hand before the Irish defense put it away. Late in the second quarter, Boubacar Traore stripped McKenzie and Jaylen Sneed recovered in the end zone for a touchdown and a 28-0 lead.
Carr finished the first half 14-18 for 141 yards and a touchdown, a 26-yarder to Gilbert that opened the scoring. James Jr. ran for 59 yards and a touchdown in the half and Walton added 57 yards and a touchdown as the Irish piled up 287 yards before the break.
Boston College took the opening kickoff back to its own 27, but a holding penalty helped stall that drive.
The Irish wasted no time. James Jr. converted a 3rd & 3 and then ripped off runs of 9 and 10 yards before Carr kept it himself for a yard on 3rd & 1 to keep the chains moving. One play later, Carr went deep to Gilbert for 26 yards and a touchdown at the 6:25 mark of the first quarter. Spencer Porath added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
Boston College punted on its next two possessions, and Notre Dame's second drive stalled on a false start and a delay of game before Jasper Scaife punted it away.
The Irish started the second quarter by moving it again. Carr found Jaden Greathouse for 25 yards down to the Boston College 24 and James Jr. finished the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run at 8:57. Porath's kick made it 14-0.
After another Eagles punt, Walton broke a 28-yard run and Faison took a handoff 28 yards down to the 2. Walton punched it in from a yard out at 2:33 and the lead grew to 21-0.
Boston College unraveled from there.
McKenzie was sacked by Elijah Hughes and Bryce Young before Traore got home on 3rd & 20, knocking the ball loose for Sneed to recover for the 28-0 lead with two minutes left in the half.
Even after Faison fumbled a punt return with 1:35 left in the half, the Irish weren’t done. Christian Gray broke up McKenzie's 4th-down pass with 58 seconds left, which proved enough time for the Irish offense to score again.
Carr completed passes of 6, 21, 6 and 9 yards along with a defensive holding against the Eagles to push the ball to the Boston College 22 where Porath drilled a 40-yard field goal as time expired for a 31-0 halftime lead.
Notre Dame got the ball to start the third quarter, but on the first play from scrimmage, Carr's pass for Faison was intercepted by KP Price at the Notre Dame 27 and the Eagles would cash it in.
Bo MacCormack III ran for 5 yards and a personal foul on Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa moved the ball half the distance to the 11. MacCormack III added 8 more and then scored from 3 yards out. Luca Lombardo added the extra point to cut the lead to 31-7 less than two minutes into the half.
Notre Dame answered right back, though.
Carr hit Gilbert for 18 and 20 yards and Faison for 11 before finding Faison for a highlight reel 13-yard touchdown connection three minutes later to extend the lead to 38-7.
Boston College's next possession ended with a punt, but the Irish’s ensuing drive would end when Walton was stopped on 4th & 2 at the Eagles 21 yard-line.
Boston College carried its next drive into the fourth quarter, but it stalled there. Luke Talich sacked McKenzie for a loss of 3 on 3rd & 3 and Rodney Dunham hurried McKenzie into an incompletion on 4th & 6 to turn the Eagles over on downs.
Carr's final drive included a 50-yard rud from Walton to the Boston College 13, but the drive stalled on an intentional grounding call and a 3rd & 16 incompletion. Porath drilled a 37-yard field goal at 12:06 to provide the final points of the day.
Boston College tried to salvage something on its next possession, pushing the ball into Notre Dame territory, but Loghan Thomas hurried a McKenzie throw and Ethan Long picked it off at the Irish 10-yard-line.
Notre Dame's backups ran out the final nine minutes from there.
Notre Dame will host SMU next Saturday night in the final home game of the regular season.
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